Kenya’s population: 5 key findings in the past 20 years of research: Gerald Anderson/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Like many countries on the African continent, Kenya’s population is growing – fast. The country’s population was 8.1 million in 1963; today it stands at about 55 million people. More people have moved into urban areas too. …
Bees and hoverflies are key to growing more fruit and veg in cities — new research: Accessing affordable fruit and vegetables is a significant challenge for the 1.2 million UK residents living in what are known as “food deserts”. People in these neighbourhoods are unable to purchase fresh food within walking distance or via a …
Aviation turbulence soared by up to 55% as the world warmed — new research: Potentially dangerous air turbulence has increased on busy flight routes across the globe. Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock Turbulence on flights isn’t most people’s idea of fun. Drinks start wobbling, hearts start racing and even rational minds start to wonder whether the aircraft can …
Young people are abandoning news websites – new research reveals scale of challenge to media: shutterstock Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock The crisis in journalism caused by the traditional news media’s struggles to cope with the digital revolution has been well documented over many years. But news organisations now face a much more fundamental change driven by generations who …
The government wants a ‘volunteer army’ to save social care – our research shows why that’s not possible: Peter Kindersley/Centre for Ageing Better, CC BY The UK government is recruiting a volunteer army for social care, to help with the sector’s record-high vacancy rate. There are currently a staggering 165,000 open posts, representing 10.7% of …
Long COVID: effects on fatigue and quality of life can be comparable to some cancers – new research: Southworks/Shutterstock As of March 2023, the Office for National Statistics estimated that 1.7 million people in the UK were living with self-reported long COVID. This refers to symptoms, including fatigue and brain fog among many others, that …
ADHD: inattention and hyperactivity have been the focus of research – but emotional problems may be the missing link: japansainlook/Shutterstock Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental health disorders in children, affecting 7.2% of people under the age of 18 worldwide. Many of these children will still have ADHD in …
While humans were in strict lockdown, wild mammals roamed further – new research: At one point in 2020, 4.4 billion people – more than half of the world’s population – were under lockdown restrictions to stem the spread of COVID-19. This was such a sudden and substantial event that it has become known as the …
Refugee camps are at higher risk of extreme weather – new research: Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, home to one million Rohingya refugees, is prone to flooding. Sk Hasan Ali/Shutterstock Around the world, climate change, violence and poverty are forcing people from their homes. The UN’s refugee agency estimated that by mid-2022, there were 103 million …
Billions is spent on cancer research globally – but is it money well spent?: In 2020, 19 million people around the world received a cancer diagnosis. By 2040, that number is expected to reach 28 million. Poorer countries will be especially hard hit, with an increasing number of cases and more deaths, compared with richer …
Greedy gulls decide what to eat by watching people — new research: Herring gull at Burghead Harbour, Scotland. Tom McPherson/Shutterstock Ask anyone living in a coastal area of the UK and they’ll confirm that seagulls can be a nuisance. These birds’ pilfering of food knows no bounds, and no one is safe from one of …
Better bipolar diagnosis may reduce suicide rates in boys – new research: Lopolo/Shutterstock Suicide rarely happens in the absence of severe mental health problems. Research indicates that psychiatric disorders are prevalent in up to 90% of adolescents who die from suicide. In particular, what are known as affective disorders, such as major depressive disorder and …
Biodegradable plastic in clothing doesn’t break down nearly as quickly as hoped – new research: Discarded clothing is responsible for millions of tonnes of plastic waste each year. Yudhistira99/Shutterstock Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Over 100 million tonnes of plastic enters the environment each year, …
Depression is more common in the suburbs than in city centres – new research: Copenhagen, where people enjoy each other's company – and the proximity to the water. Fedor Selivanov/Shutterstock The rapid growth of cities comes with many challenges. How can we build greener? And how can we support the health and wellbeing of the people …
Credit payment holidays reduced the mental health effects of debt during COVID – new research: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock Like other countries, the UK implemented a number of initiatives to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s economic circumstances. While we know these schemes supported household finances, now we’re beginning to understand how they affected mental …
Humans were using fire in Europe 50,000 years earlier than we thought – new research: The control of fire by humans probably developed gradually over thousands of years. matsiukpavel / Shutterstock Human history is intimately entwined with the use and control of fire. However, working out when our relationship with fire began and how it subsequently …
Should your summer-born child start school later? Here’s what the research says: Sharomka/Shutterstock If you have a child born in the summer, the prospect of starting school can pose a conundrum. In England, for example, children typically start school in the September after they turn four, which for some can mean just a few months, …
Hottest days are warming twice as fast as average summer temperature in north-west Europe — new research: On July 19 2022, the UK experienced its highest ever temperature. At 40.3? (Coningsby, Lincolnshire), the temperature surpassed the previous record of 38.7? (Cambridge) – a record that had been set a mere three years previously. My new …